Automobile steering-gear lock



oct. 2, 1923. 1,469,401

' L.. E. WILLETT A AUTOMOBILE STEERING GEAR lLIOCK ,Filed Oct. 8, 1921 Patented ct. 2, 1923. l

* uNiTED STATES PAT-ENT OFFICE.

LEON E. WILLETT, OF DETROIT;y MICHIGAN.

AUTOMOBILE STEERING-GEAR LOCK.

Application led October 8, 1921; SeriaLlNo. 506,249.

Be it known that I, LEON E. WILLET'r, a citizen of the United States' of America, residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in tomobile Steering-Gear Locks, of which the following isa specification, reference being able relative to each other to compensate for any difference of angularity between the instrument board and' the steering shaft.

' Another object of this invention is to provide a'key operated locking mechanism for asteering shaft that' will prevent an auto# mobile, motor boat o r the like from being surreptitiously operated by unauthorized persons, the mechanism' including a well known type of key tumbler lock and the arrangement of the lock is such that Veasy access may be had. thereto, while the Vconstruction of the locking mechanism is such that the elements cannot interfere with the use of the lock. f

A further object of my invention is to provide a strong, durable and inexpensive locking mechanism that may be easily, quickly and safely installed, and the construction of the mechanism will be hereinafter described and then claimed.

Reference will now be had to' the drawr v ing, wherein Figure 1 is a plan of the locking mecha nism partlyl broken away and partly in hor-v izontal section;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the same showing a portion of 'an instrument board relative toa. portionV of a steering shaft; f

Fig.V 3 isa lon itudinal sectional view taken on the line I I-III- of Fig. 1;

' Fig. 4 is an elevation of a face plate adapt- 'ed `to be attached to the instrument-hoard keeper member;r

Fig. 6 is a 'side elevation of the same; lF ig. 7 is a cross sectional-view taken the line VII-VII of Fig. 1,'and Y Fig. 8 is asimilar view taken onfthe line VII'I-VIIIof Fig.v 1.

In the drawing, the referencenumeral 1y 1 yd'enot-es'fa steering columnvv or casing through which extends a steering shaft 2 and thellower end'of the casing 1y ordinarily v ig. 5 Vis a, plan ofthe detached sectional an "instrument board Vor dash 3,v` 'said instrument boardl being'disposediat an angle rela-V tive to the steering shaft2. 'These elements y may be found in a well vknowntypeof automobile, also ymotor boat construction. r

yAttached tothe rear facefof the instru` ment board 3, at the-lower edge thereof, is a two part vor sectional anchor .plate 4 composedV of sections having tongue and groove connections, as at '5, necessitating placingone section or part of theanchor plate down'v on the other and this anchor lplate is held by screws 6 extending through a faceplate 7 terminates rcontiguous toV the lowerf edge of and the instrument board'. The face plate y 7 is mountedon thelower edge of theinstrument board 3 and the heads v8 of the screws 6 are countersunk in the faceplate 7 ysa and concealed by closure'plates V9 sprung into the face ofthe plate 7j- The closure 'plates 9 arev of a vconventional `form also the screws 6 and said screws simply represent a convenient fastening lmeans by which the anchorplate 4 maybe attached-to the instruthe ment board without dangerV of anchor plate being easily removed. Y n

rlfhe partsv or sections Vof, theanchor plate 4 have lugs 1Q and 11 confronting eachother andlprov1dedwith recesses 12. Mounted in one of the recesses is a pivotpinl 1 3 which extends 'into the other recess and this is permissible'fbyfreason of the anchor plate being made in two parts or sections; Such construction also permits of the barrelend 14 of a lock casing cover 15 andthe side apertured. v

walls 16 of a channel lock casing 17 being mounted on the pinl, prior to assembling the parts of the anchor plate 4. Thecover 15 is adapted to'be secured relativej'to ythe casing 17 sojthat'saidcasing "and coverwill have a p-ivotalffadjustme'nt relativetol the anchor plate 4,'similar to a hingehasp.- The hinged'lock casing 17will compensate for any differences in the angularity y,of the 5steering allait' 2 relative to the 'instrument board 3., as such differences in ay v occur the large production .of an aiitoiiiohilelor-in different inakesof automobile.Y

vrlheY channel lock casing 17 has a hollow cylindrical head 18 through`Whichextends the steering shaft 2, and set injsaid head is a g sectional or two-part keeper 1'ne1nber'19 having aV plurality o f radially ydisposed notches Q0 and a hub portion'QlV which fits about `the yeteerlng shaft vand yfixed relaf tiiieth'ereto by a key 22 or other fasteningV means .iyhich Will ,establish a driving rela-v tion `lbetweenthe shaft .2 and the keeper inember 19. VThe hub 21 of the keeper inem# f Vber extendsinto a'bottoin openingQ-S of the head 18 and said keeper member iS retained Within-the head by. 'screwV can 24 having a sleevev portion grextending between the, casf ing'1and theshaft I2, Asaid slefeye portionV Sel-v 'ng .as a bearing for the ,Shaft 2 anda closnlne forvthe lowerend of the casing 1. The channel 4lock easing 17 serves as a guide 4for a latch or locking bolt 26 adapted lock 4barrelBQ ivithinthe lock body 30 and adapted -to 'be vrotated by a key 33, which key Y may actnate :spring pressed .tninblers .311 in onder that the barrel- 32 maybe released and Vrotated to actuate tjhelook. rBhe ratio between `the large vand small gear Wheels 2 9 and: 30 is tivo too-ne, Y so that ai complete revolution `of the key and barrel Will cause a half revolution Vof the large gear Wheel thus: either eXtend -thel ocking boltl 26 or retract; the, sanne. The extension ofthe orb locking `bolt 2 6 is facilitated 'by a coiled' ex- Q Bend of the spring seated in the locking @Shoal the lockingbolt failto registfei with -thenotehQO jot the keeper ineinber the locking 'bolt Willbeai against Athe periphery of Ythe kcey'per ineniber until a notch-n1, sente-itself, at which time the @Xa f pensive force ,of the .Serina 35 will force th@ #and ev-@11' their@ the lkina la/,kine belt-.inte locking' @agreement with @Geer mmben fln ord-@r that this. may f...e-..p1a. theut any interference by the cnnnecton 'of the. .Pitman 27 Iwith tllflere@ geert/heel 2mal@ r'tieanhasitsends S10-t tee', as at te ref-ten@ the Wrist. Die 2859911-, Sequentlrthe lan-remet 'wheel 29 v .eI1-b@ 159: bolt;- 26 .is

Ydisposed steeiingshaft in proximite,

'The @Sire .Gerer l5, bendes being held by thepin 13 lrtendsY under the capQll and has a doivel pin connection 37 with said cap and saiddowel pin connectionprevents ro- -tationofthe cap A2%. The casing cover15 V also vhas a bei'eled lip or lug 38 extending under or -into the lock body 3 0 and the lug` 38 will coonerate with the ca a in nreyenti v l i.

ing removalof the Ycoveror raising of the same until the parte or .sections o-fthe an= chor plate .Il are separated'. y

. .From the foregoing it trillian observed that the flocking mechanism is saiely housed so that it cannot beco.V venien ly tainpcrede "li and' vthe lock parts are edsjo 1t-lat tie saine cannot --be easily removed. vAll. ofl this contrihides to a `lock tnat willfprevent the `ste ering shaft Q ir in l.heilig 4tiirned exi ceptby an ai-ithorized person,.- andi't is believed ithatthe theftpof automobiles Willbe inatei .ally reduced 2. if f antoine-tiles arel eqnigped with locks in accordance with `rn'y` irvention. Y "f V L: nile inthe drawing-there is illustrated a preferred embodiment of niy invention, it is Vto 'be understood'that the strnctnral'eleniente are susceptible to suchchangesj in size, shape and manner ofv assemblage as fall Within the'scope of"; tlie appended claims.

vWhat claini is:. v 1.1i lockingniechanism foi1 an angiilarly disposed steering shaft in proximity to an instrument. board.'comprising an ganchor to saidinstrument board, a lock casing operatively held between ends of vthe anchor plate partsy and by ,such connection compensating for differences of angularity betiveensaid steering shaftV and saidA instru# nient board,V and preclndingreinoyalzof said Vplate composed of separable parts attached f leek casing Vuntil the anchor plate parts are separated, andlocking means in said casing adapted to hold .said steering shaft. against rotation relative Ato said' casi-ng. v A lockir mechanism for an angularly t0 an instrument board, comprising ani anchor plate attached Vto said 'instrument board, `a

Ylock .casing connected to saidjanchor plate and by snch connection compensate for di f ferences ot angnlarity iyehvvecn said steering shaft and said instrument boa'rd.- a. keeper on. said V steering shaft inclosedv by said casing,

Aacover for said casing, lock barrel in said casing'cngaginga. portion of said cover to assistin retaining it on said casing,`a1nl a key actuated bolt 1n said caseoperated said lock barreland adapted toengage Ysaid keeperand hold said steeringshaft'againstY Y Y Y125 lockingy niechanisni as 1n Aclaiinv 1, wherein said locking iiieansinclndes aspring Y pressed boltto engagesaid steering shaft5a rotation relative `to said casing. ,AQ

keyoperated barrel, and gear Wheels and ja frieren teilnehmer-Seid barrel an@ bellino lio Y that one revolution of said barrel will eitherv shaft, comprising an anchorplate composedV ot separable parts normally connected togather and adapted to be Xed adjacent said sha-tt, a lock casing hingedly mounted between the parts of said anchor plate and embracing said shaft, said anchor plate parts precluding removal of said lock casino until the anchor plate parts are separat-et, and lockingnieans in said casing adapted to engage and lockv said shaft against` rotation.

5. A locking mechanism. for a steering shaft, comprising an anchor plate, a lock casing, a pin supporting sa-idlockingA casing vrelative to said anchor plate, a Cover for said locking casing, having one end Aheld by said pin, locking nieans'rin said casing adapt.- ed to 'engage and hold said'steer'ngshattl against rotation, and a vcap about the stceringshaft cooperating` With said Vpinin retaining said cover closed relativo to said casing. o

.'n testimony whereof I alixniy signature in presence of t-Wo Witnesses.

' Y LEON E. WILLETT.- Vtnesses: WYESLEY E. GoULD,

KARL H. BUTLER. 

